FG Empowers 70 Digital Media Managers

In a strategic move to deepen the reach of its socio-economic interventions, the Federal Government has equipped 70 digital media managers with modern tablets, designating them as primary grassroots information channels for the administration’s vocational, entrepreneurship, and digital empowerment programmes. Unveiled on Thursday in the nation’s capital, the initiative marks a deliberate shift toward leveraging digital media practitioners to bridge the critical information gap between government opportunities and potential beneficiaries in remote communities.

The programme was officially launched by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Education (OSSAP-TVEE). During a specialized media information and empowerment meeting, Abiola Arogundade, the Senior Special Assistant to the President, personally presented the devices to the beneficiaries. The initiative underscores the administration’s recognition that the success of any public policy is intrinsically tied to effective communication and widespread public awareness.

Addressing the gathering, Arogundade emphasized that the decision to empower media personnel was highly intentional. She noted that government interventions, no matter how well-funded, can only achieve their intended impact if the target demographic is adequately informed and equipped to access them. 

“The empowerment of media personnel is deliberate because you play a critical role in ensuring that government programmes reach communities, young Nigerians, entrepreneurs, and other potential beneficiaries,” Arogundade stated. She highlighted that digital media practitioners serve as the vital connective tissue between policy formulation in Abuja and practical implementation at the grassroots level. “Without you, even if we go to these places, nobody will know. We want everybody to know what President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing, not just here in Abuja, but in all states.”

The initiative also addresses a pervasive challenge within Nigeria’s burgeoning digital economy: the digital divide. According to the presidential aide, a significant number of young Nigerians, skilled artisans, and small-scale entrepreneurs possess the requisite skills to thrive in the modern economy. However, their progress is frequently stifled by inadequate access to essential digital tools. 

“A phone or laptop is a tool to find new customers and turn training into certification. Without it, even the most capable people are locked out of the world,” Arogundade explained. By providing these media managers with tablets, the government is creating a multiplier effect. These practitioners are now better positioned to produce localized content, manage community platforms, and disseminate crucial information about skill acquisition programmes and grants in formats that resonate with local populations.

The distribution of the devices comes with clear expectations. Arogundade urged the beneficiaries to deploy the tablets productively, moving beyond personal use to actively amplify information on available government programmes. She charged them with the responsibility of demystifying the application processes for various empowerment schemes, thereby helping potential beneficiaries understand exactly how to access these opportunities.

“We cannot keep empowering technical people and forget the media. You are the people helping us pass this message to the world. That is why you are here,” she affirmed, reinforcing the symbiotic relationship between technical skill acquisition and media advocacy.

This targeted intervention aligns seamlessly with the broader objectives of the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), which prioritizes human capital development and inclusive economic growth. By decentralizing information dissemination and empowering local digital voices, the Federal Government aims to ensure that no skilled Nigerian is left behind due to a lack of awareness or digital exclusion.

As the 70 media managers return to their respective communities, they carry not just new hardware, but a mandate to transform the narrative around government interventions. If successfully executed, this initiative could serve as a scalable model for future public communication strategies, proving that empowering the messengers is just as crucial as empowering the masses.